Method and apparatus for removing surface metal and body produced



De c..23, 1941. A H. w. JONES ETAL 2,267,405

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOViNG SURFACE METAL AND BODY PRODUCED Original. Fiied Oct. 24, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q ll.-W. JONES EIAL- 2,267,405

Dec. 23, 1941.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SURFACE METAL AND BODY PRODUCED 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 24, 1936 III . 47 WWW, W

IVYENTORS 71. 6mm

- 1' 8 1 ATTORNEYS c- 23, 19 1- H. w. JONES my 2 267,405

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SURFACE METAL AND BODY PRODUCED 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed 001;. 24, 1936 Dec. 23, 1941. H. w. JONES ETAL 2,267,405 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SURFACE METAL AND BODY PRODUCED Original Filed Oc-t. 24, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS Patented Dec. 23, 1941 UZNl'TED STATES .PATl-I NT orries METHOD AND APPARATUS. roa nmovmo sunrises METAL AND BQDY raonvonn Homer W. Jones and Herbert Cowin; Westiield, and Wilgot J. Jacobsson, Scotch Plains,

N. L, assignors to The Llnde Air Products Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Ohio Application comm-24.1936, Serial No. Renewed May 20, 1939 "20 Claims. (oi.14s- -9) This invention relates to a method andapparatus-for removing surface metal from metal bodies) x and to the body produced. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for thermowi'de, plane paths of' a desired depth which are 5 suilicient to accomplish substantially complete removal'of checks; seams and like defects that occur in the region removed, andto the resulting ferrous product. The invention has for its object generally the provision of improved steps together with a suit-- able construction and arrangement of parts for practicing such steps so as to accomplish a desurfacing operation of thecharacter set forth ina'manner such thatthe'thermo-chemical re- ,chemically-desurfacing ferrous metal bodies in 5' the-characteristics, properties and relation of elements, alias exemplified in the detailed disclosure hereinafter set forth, and the; scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

-Foraiuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should 'be had to the following-detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in J which:- 1

- moving reaction is carried out by. applying an FlgTI shows, mainly in side elevation, an arrangement, of apparatusrhaving means for 'thermo-chemically removing surface metal from billets'in steel mills, in accordance withthe in 'vention; a g

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showingdetails or the construction of the means-employed for More specifically, the invention has for its oboxidizing gas to remove metal simultaneously andv to a uniform depth over a relatively wide area ofthe surface when raised to the ignition temper-stare.

desurfacing, a billet inthe apparatus of Flg.-1;- Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the desurfacing'means shown inFig. 2; 5

Fig. 4. is a top plan view, a part being broken away of the structure-which applies the oxidiz ing gas employed in the device shown in Flgs. 2

febt the provision of improved steps and means 1 3 a and I for al ply nfl an oxidizing gas upon the surface of ferrous metal-bodies where the surface is to be j and the combined oxidizin removed in wide or broadwith improved preheating means'for raising the .su-rface metal to the ni ion temperature: suitpaths, in combination preheating means showntin Fig. 2; 1

ab e means being also provided for-causing rela- X tive motion between thebodies 'to be desurfac'ed zas applyi and preheating means-whereby wide, smooth cuts of .uniform' depth may 'be' taken.

1 Another object is to provide an improved o xi- (F 8 heating means arranged so as to project the reacting gases asa ithin plane sheet or uninter -gas' applying nozzle structure with preuruptedribbon-like stream, .whereby a wide.

smooth levelpath. devoid of undesirable defects may... readily made. y

"Still-another object is to, provides desurfaced ferrousmetal-bodywhich has a smooth; substantia-llyplane surface that may be partially r-1 burized, the carbon being relatively uniformly distributed and has greater ductility than wasusually obtained heretofore with-oxidizing gas. v

Otherobject's of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter. m

.The invention accordingly comprises the sev- '-.b'etweentwo;ridges: v H

of,a photomicrograph ei'iilv steps and the relation" done or more of such steps with respect to each-of the others, .the ap-g- "jarfltns'embody'in'g features 01' construction. com-- when desurfacing p,

of similar-composition to that in vFig. B but dev by means of oxidizing Baa from a wide oriflced nozzleof thepresent ,inventionp-and I binations-and-arrangements of parts, adapted to Y effect suchsteps. andthe article which es I Fig. 5 is a central sectional view of one of the a preheating means shown in Fig. 2; v Fig. 6 is, a similar vview of the other form of Fig.7 is a sectional view taken on the in Fig. 5;

Fig; 8 is a reproduction of a-photomicrograph of about 100 magnifications showing a cross-sec- Fig. 10 isa reproduction of the same magnification as Fig. 8 showing a cross-section through .thecut edge .of;a lbillet trig. 11 is a plan view-ofa billet being "desurfaced accordance with 'theinventioh and shows the contour of atypical reaction when practicing the invention. I f In order to accomplish'the removal of surface from; ferrous metal bodies in steelflmills,

nae 1-1 none resulting such as from ingots, blooms. billets, and the like, for the purpose of eliminating checks, seams, cracks and other defects in the surface, it has been customary to apply a relatively voluminous stream of oxidizing gas at a relatively. low velocity so as to impinge upon the surface tobe' removed at an acute angle to a tangent to the surface drawn in the direction in which a surface removing cutis to be taken. Nozzles with cylindrical bores are quite generally employed in this art for applying the oxidizing gas, such nozzles being relatively closely disposed and arranged in gangs when it was desired, to remove a relatively wide area. Such use of spaced nozzles brought about metal removal of transversely non-uniform depth and resulted in leaving, in effect, a parallelgrooved surface. While such surface unevenness, for example, in the formof contiguous corrugations, had some advantage in assisting the absorption of heat in subsequent reheating operations, there are certain manufacturing operations where a billet having-a substantially faultless plane surface is desired. There is also an economy in removing metal to a uniform minimum depth sufllcient to eliminate the surface, defects.

Juxtaposing a plurality of nozzles so closely that. h

the flaring streams overlap at the surface to be .removed only partially accomplishes the desired object, while grooves and ridges, which prevent a surface being entirely plane, still occur. In

certain cases, it has been proposed to widen the oxidizing gas applying nozzles, but efforts to widen ture has a wide but thin orifice which isarranged to have the width dimension disposed substantially parallel to the surface to be removed so that when the nozzle structure is applying oxidizin gas, a uniform wide, plane. continuous reaction puddle is formed upon the surface which is being removed. In order, however, that the surface removing reaction may be uniform across the entire width of the reaction zone, the mass-veloc- 'ity of the gas applied is kept substantially constant. This requires that a substantially uniform pressure in the oxidizing gas be maintained at all points across the orifice. This pressure distribution is achieved by the provision of suitable gas distributing means in association with the nozzle structure togetherwith a suitably shaped nozzle passage. This distributing means is constructed to provide a substantially constant head of pressure at all points along the inlet to the nozzle passage. As a result, the oxidizing gas issues as an uninterrupted, smooth. ribbon-like stream, which has 'substantiallyiequal mass-ve- .locities at all points across the width of a. path that is cut.

The term mass-velocity," as hereinused, is employed to connote the mass of the oxidizing gas .issuing'from the-nozzle atany given pointper unit of time per unit of area and does not have the dimensions of a momentum in the usual mechanical sense.

" W The preheat gpplying means are preferably associated'with the "sides (i."e., above and below .tbehorizontal nozzle structure) of the like oxidizing gas stream and in a manner which gives heating jets of a character insuring quick and adequate heatingof the metal at points where the oxidizing gas is impinged, the jets being so shaped and distributed to avoid interference with the oxidizing gas stream.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Fig.1, an embodiment of suitable apparatus ,for the practice of the present invention is illustrated,'in which B denotes one or more billets that are disposed on suitable supports in for a desurfacing operation in a steel mill. The thermo-chemlcal metal removing step is effected by means shown generally at R, which comprises a combination of oxidizing gas and preheating nozzles ashereinafter more fully explained, the

means being supported in place by a depending member II which is'secured on an arm I! that is carried by a carriage i3 on a traveling frame F. The frame F is shown by way of illustration as being supported by means of wheels I4 adapted to track on the rails l5 that are laid on the ground or other base adjacent-the supports I0. 1

The thermo-chemical reacting means R, as shown-in Fig. 2, comprises a centrally disposed oxidizing gas applying nozzle structure 20 with which communicates a gas distributing means, in the form of a chamber 21, arranged to insure a supply of gas at proper pressure." ,The nozzle structure 20, as seen furtherin Figs. 3 and 4, is constructed to be relatively wide and flat and has a relatively wide but transversely narrow interior channel 23 of rectangular cross-section through which the oxidizing gas passes from the distributing chamber 2| to the orifice 2. Any convenient construction may be employed to this end. For example, a pair of spaced plates 'of a suitable material, such as copper or brass, having .a thickness sufficient. to impartv the desired strength, as shown at 20% and 20 inthe drawings,

may be employed, the desired spacing being ob- I tained by inserting suitably formed spacing members 25' and 25' at the edges, these spacing members being secured by suitable means, such as screws, shown at 26. The spacing'members 25 and 25" do not have either uniform, width or thickness but are specially formed so as to impart a taper or divergence to the rectangular channel which cooperates in achieving 'the desired uniform velocity of the issuing gas across theorifice. The shape imparted is preferably arranged so that the smallest section is adjacent to but not precisely at the inlet, so that a contaper in both the plane of the width dimension and the plane perpendicular thereto of proper values, the relatively low center velocities are increased and relatively uniform values across the entire width of the rectangular orifice may be had. As an example of suitable values, it may be stated that when the members 25 and 25- have their inside edges'inclined, in the plane of-the width dimension at an angle of 2% degrees to the center line, as shown m- Fig. 4, and make an angle of approximately degreeto the center line in provide securing flanges whereby the nozzle structure may be secured to the distributing chamber 2|, While these plates may have substantially uniform thickness from the distributing head to the orifice, it is preferable that these plates be .reduced at their lower ends in order to provide an offset area. as shown at 28, to assist in positioning the preheating devices in proper relation to the orifice 24.

The distributing means 2|, while it may have any suitable form which provides a supply of oxidizing gas to the rectangular channel'in the nozzle in a manner such that there is a substantially uniform pressure linearly along the inlet to the channel, is advantageously in the form of a cylindrical chamber that is relatively large and has a substantially unobstructed opening communicating with the rectangular orifice. The desired pressure distribution in the chamber is further assisted by providing oxidizing gas inlet conduits 29 and 29' that lead from a manifold 29" and communicate at the respective ends" of the chamber. In this way, asub-v stantially static pressure condition in the chamber is provided. p

The preheating means shown comprises heating flame projecting devices associated with both sides of the oxidizing gas, nozzle structure, each device being preferably secured-on an area 28 in rigid position on the oxidizing gas structure, i. e., on upper and lower sides of the orifice 24, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. While the preheating devices on the upper and lower sides of the main nozzle structure may be substantially identical,

there are advantages in constructing the same differently, since these two preheating devices I perform specifically different functions. A suitble form for the upper device is shown in Fig. 5,

while a, suitable form of the lower device is shown in Fig. 6. i 1

InFig. 5, the upper device is shown as comprising an orificed member or block 30 in association with a shell-like casing 3| of somewhat wedge-like formation; the casing being closed by another block 32. This latter block has a central gas supplying and distributing bore 33 which is threaded to receive a. conduit 34 from a gas mixing chamber 35 which is arranged to provide a combustible heating gas, such as a mixture of oxygen and acetylene. The bore 33 is closed at one end by a partition having a central distributing member or upwardly projecting cone 36, about which are a plurality of small orifices 3'l bored throughv the partition in the annular space about the cone. A group of small tubular passage members 38 are provided in the shell 3| leading respectively from each orifice 31 to one of the nozzle bores shown at 33 as somewhat obliquely disposed and in sub.- stantially equally spaced relation along the lengthof the .block or member 30.

from end to end but preferably have the outermost portions reduced, as shown at 39'; the oblique disposition of the bores being such as to be inclined downwardly and project the heating. gas so that it will approach and in some measure impart heat to the stream of oxidizing gas issuing from the rectangular orifice 24.

The preheating device on the lower side of the The bores 39 may be ofsubstantially uniform diameter oxidizing gas applying, nozzle structure is similar to that shown in Fig. 5 but differs therefrom in the construction of the orificed member, the

to which is connected a gas supply conduit. 44, which supplies a combustible heating gas from a mixing chamber 45, the bore 43 being shown as provided with a distributing cone 46 arising out of the partition back of the bore 43, this partition being perforated to provide orifices 41 which have a pluralitycf passage members 43 communicating with supply gas bores 49 in the orificed member or block 40. The bores 49 here do not have a reduced portion, as' shown inFig. 5, but, instead, communicate with recessed chambers 49", so shaped that a plurality of adjacent ribbon-like preheating jets issue from a. series of slot-like orifices 4!! that are in line across the front of the block. To achieve the proper formation of the chambers 49" in the block 40 it is preferable to split the block into complemental sections as indicated, the sections being united when properly formed, by screws, as in dicated at 40 The shells 3| and 4|, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, are seen to have depending offset portions so as to be adapted to engage in complementary positions with the reduced portions 28 of the oxidizing gas nozzle structure. When positioned, they are held in place by means of a clamping device 50 which fits about the ends of the nozzle devices and has an under side 5| which serves as a shoe to' ride upon the surface of the billet when a cut is being made; the shoe ture which issu-spended from the supporting means II and arranged so that the orifice 24 is substantially parallel to the surface of the billet B which is being desurfaced, the nozzle structure being inclined at an angle such that A the oxygen gas impinges at an acute angle to a tangent drawn to the surface of the billet B in the direction in which a cut is to be made, having a value preferably between 20 and 45 degrees.

The orificed members of the preheating devices, when in operation, are, of course,v subjected to high temperature. It is advantageous, therefore, to cool'the preheating devices during a desurfacing operation; To this end, the space in the shells 3| and 4| about the passage members 31 and 41 is employed for accomplishing the desired cooling. A cooling medium, such as -water, is arranged to be circulated in this space and each of the closing blocks 32' and 42 is provided with at least two passages in addition to the central bores-33 and 43, one of which passages serves as the inlet for the cooling medium, the other serving as the outlet. The block 32, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, is provided with an inlet nipple 53 to which a flexible connection 54 is attached for supplying the cooling medium. An outlet connection is similarly provided at 55. A nipple 56 (see Fig. 2) having an inlet connection 51 is provided in the block 42, the same being provided with an outlet connection 53. The connections which supply gas to the conduits 23 and 29' and the mixing chambers 35 and 45, as well as the connections which supply and withdraw the cooling medium, are with advantage flexible in nature and are accordingly illustrated as a group of flexible tubings supported adjacent to the supporting means 'II by suitable holding means adapted to movewith the same.

The oxidizing gas supplied to the conduits 29 and 29 may be pure oxygen having a suitable pressure, for example, 50 lbs. per sq. in. gauge, or a mixture of oxygen gas and a neutral gas, such as a mixture of oxygen with air or nitrogen. While the pressure head may be varied within a reasonable latitude, the pressure head moving device to a proper initial position, and

having turned on the supply of heating gas and ignited the same, applies the same to a point'on the billet where a cut is desired to be started. When the temperature 5 reached at which the metal will ignite with oxygen, which may be is such as to maintain the issuance of the oxidizing gas at a suitable desurfacing velocity. Where a desurfacing operation of the character indicated is to be carried out, it has been ascertained that a so-called low velocity of a value substantially between 200 and 1000 ft. per second, as set forth in U. S. patent to Oldham, No. 1,957,351, is suitable with a cylindrical stream. A nozzle structure having a wide but thin orifice, when provided with a taper as above indicated, and with a relatively narrow throat at the inlet where the oxidizing gas enters the rectangular channel of the nozzle, has substantially the same limits to the velocity of the oxidizing gas stream as taught in the Oldham patent. By giving the nozzle channel a different shape, the limits are, of course, changed, and it may be desired under some conditions to exceed the so-called acoustic' velocity," which is the theoretical upper limit to the mouth velocity attainable from a nozzle of the type employed by Oldham. It will be understood therefore that the upper limit of the low velocity hereinafter referred to may exceed such acoustic velocity.

The surface removing device R is here shown as'mounted to have substantially universal ad,- justment on the means which effects relative motion between it and the billet whose surface is to be removed, the supporting member II being shown as capable of imparting a. vertical adjustment, the arm l2 being likewise shown as capable of imparting longitudinal adjustment while the carriage I3 is capable of imparting adjustment transversely of the billet; the frame F be- ,ing arranged for carrying the device R, when properly adjusted, along the billets at a desired rate, for example, 60 ft. per minute when a cut is to be made. While such an arrangement is shown, it will be understood that this is purely exemplary, as any suitable arrangement may be employed, for example, the surface removing device may be stationary and the billets may travel.

Also, it will be understood that it may begdesirable to have the surfaceremoving device swiveled to member II in such a manner that the axis of chamber 2| may be rocked up and down so that the orifice 24 may be tilted with respect to the surface of the billet B as occasion may require in order to follow any lateral warp which the billet may have.

The preheating devices shown in Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 6 are seen to apply relatively different types of preheating flames above and below the ribbonlike stream of oxidizing gas issuing from the nozzle 24. By the arrangement shown, a plurality of small jets issue from the orifice 39' which produce a relatively intense heating action of the metal just ahead of the impinged oxidizing gas. The ribbon-like preheating jets on the under side are seen, on the other hand, to effect a desired heating of the reaction puddle without any liability of impressing stream marks upon readily determined by a skilled operator, the oxidizing gas is turned on and the frame F started to move to carry the device R in the direction in which the surface is to be removed. The oxidizing gas which issues from the nozzle structure is seen to impinge in a thin plane sheet that meets the surface to be removed in a line and at an acute dihedral angle, the line extending for a substantial distance directly across the body being operated upon, and the region immediately at each side of the line is the zone where the oxidizing reaction is thermo-chemically carried on. The orifice of the nozzle structure being substantially rectangular and the pressure therealong being maintained substantially equal at all points, it is seen that the mass-velocity of the impinged oxidizing gas is substantially equal at all points along this line of reaction and the resulting metal removal is in substantially equal amount at all points where the oxidizing gas impinges. The cut when properly started may be carried at a substantially uniform speed along the entire length of the billet without being lost, provided the speed, the gas velocity, the gas volume and its angle of impingement are correlated and adjusted to maintain the reaction puddle, which forms ahead of the reaction zone, substantially constant. The reaction puddle, which thus forms, has characteristics of its own that distinguish it from those heretofore obtained. Such puddle is-shown at P in Fig. 11, where the top surface of billet B is depicted together with a portion of the device R that is shown as extending substantially completely across the billet. The impinging ribbon-like stream of oxidizing gas is shown at S, the reaction zone being indicated by the broken line about the area impinged by stream S. The main body of the puddle advances in front of this zone and is indicated by the area bounded by the irregular fullline curve on the drawings. The puddle in this case extends entirely across the billet and has a width that is more than twice its dimension lengthwise of the billet. This characteristic is unique for wide orificed nozzle desurfacing and its homogeneity contributes to the uniformity of its heating effect on the metal of the billet over which it advances.

In the arrangement represented in Figs. 2 to 4, the transverse dimension of the orifice 24 may be of the order of a small fraction of an inch, while the width dimension may be of the order of a fraction of a foot, and is normally more than three inches. As an example, it has been found in practice that an orifice 1?; of an inch in the transverse dimension and 6 inches wide is suitable for desurfacing a whole side of a standard sixinch billet to a substantially uniform depth, such as V inch,in one pass. While the nozzle structure here provided may have substantially any desired width greater than the limit above indicated and still give an uninterrupted ribbon-like oxidizing .gas stream that produces substantially equal oxidizing: reactions across its line of impingement, it will be understood'that thesurface removing device is not confined to operations in a horizontal-planenite uponthe. top surface of a aaemos billet B. butlmay be arranged equally wellto re.- a

' move side and bottom surfaces; it being contemplated fi-l l yins the present invention to; machines for removing relatively plane surfaces generally, or a series thereof; for example, opposite sides or all four sides'of billets may be removed in one pass. Alsoi'the surface may be arcshaped, so'that the orifice is not a straight line but maybe a portion of an arc. It will be understood further that the desurfacihg device of the present invention, while shown in'combination withprehea'ting nozzle devices which. effect the creased carbon content.

removalof surface metal from cold billets, is

equally applicableto devices intended forthe removal of metal from the surface ofhot metal bodies, for example, from the" surface of blooms "as they come from the blooming mill in steel mill practice. In such'case, certain of the'pr'eheating structure of the same billet in a flat area between ridges and isquite similar inappearance to Fig. 1 8 with the exception thatthe outer zone I is pseudo-martensitic instead of troos'to-martensite. No ferrite'is present near the surface: other'experiments show that this is correlated within- In Fig. l0 is depicted arepresentation of a -photomicrograph showing the structure, on the same scale as in Figs. 8 and9, of-a billet of similar composition to the former but desurfaced with a wide oriflced nozzle according to the pres-. ent invention. Here, the xnicrostructure shows that the surface layer has undergone littlm or no carburization. An appreciable amount of ferrite, as indicated at a, is present in the uppermost zone together with pseudo-martensite and sorbite. Although the background is dark,

thisshould not be confused with the pseudomartens'ite. The depth of the heat affected zone in this case is about .038-inch. Below the top devices may be cut out of operation or removed from the construction employed altogether.

The removal of surface metal from ferrous j metalgbodiesin wide uniform, paths is seen to C graphs made of the surface portions of such A 'beenpearlite.-\ u

In Fig. 9, another photomicrograph depicts the eliminate more efficiently than heretofore the surface defects desired to be removed, since the making. of widesmooth cuts over the surface of the body, without the formation of grooves or ridges demarking the paths ofindividual oxidizing gas streams, avpids the accidental retention by such inarks or ridges of unobserved or unobservable defects. 4

The resulting ferrous body when desurfaced M with a wide ribbon-like oxidizing stream, as here proposed, has newproperties imparted thereto zone the region It contains ferrite and sorbite, the dark portion i being the sorbite. This 'indicates that the temperature attained at a region corresponding to-the zone It was suillciently high and present for such a period of time that a Thuspthe resulting structure is pearlite in fertending allthe way to the surface andras-a and differs from bodies-heretofore obtained by desurfacing operations, particularly those which employ-a piurality 'of oxidizing streams, in that the body'is provided with a new envelopewhic'h is'substantially level or ungrooved and is smooth and has a uniformly distributed carbon content, and .the resulting body is highly ductile. The

differences are readily apparent in photomicro:

bodies and areillustrated in Figs. 8 to 10.

In Fig. 8, a photomicrograph is :depicted which shows a section of a billet, which has been desurfaced by the use of a plurality of oxygen streams. in the neighborhood of a ridge showing a heat aflected-zone'that extends fromthe top it; a point about .06 inch below the surface. Here, thelight portions aindicate a composition that is chiefly marten'site, which includes a small por tion of troostite indicated by the dark portions b.

The presence of these constituents and the sub- 1 *stantial absenceof ferrite in this zone indicates an increase in carbon content and an increase in the hardness of the billet as the surface is ap:

certain amount of austenite was formed -and decomposed to sorbite'at or below .olinch- 'as seen in zones 1 and i. The metal either was not heated to the transformation temperature or was heated 'for so short a time that the concentration' of carbon in austenite did not take place.

rite, the normal practically unchanged structure of steel. A comparison of Fig. l0-with Figs. 8 and 9 shows, that pearlite areas are coarser and closer to the surface with the ferrite ex'-' corollaryto this, the ductility of the structure 'of 10 is superior to that of Fig. 8 or 9. .,From this comparison of the microstructure it may be con'cludedlthat the billet surface produced according-toJthe present invention has-a greater degree of ductility than the structures produced in Figs. 8 and 9. In addition, the surface structare-shown in Fig. 10 is representative of the entire surface produced, by the-methods of the present invention; whereas the surface produced by multiple oxygen streams shows marked changes between th'e top of the groove and the ibot toms This is also proved by hardness tests bytheMonotron hardness tester 'Such meas-i uren'lents showed a hardness of 190 to 425 at the top of-theridge and 2'10 in the, trough of the groove. I l I A billet ofthe same composition, ,desurfaced according to'the presentinvention, when tested,

proached. Such a structure as a rule produces a these dark areas would have exhibited a hardness at various places that was extremely uniform and'averaged 1'85 converted Brineil. This was found in spite of the fact that the interior of the latterlbiilet exhibited an original hardness of 112 as compared to 1p! in the former.

I When billets desurfaced by methods are reheated .in a furnace to rolling temperature, substantially greater oxidation occurs at theQsurfaceot thosewhich are desurfacednby multiple oxygenstreams Those billets which'werede surfaced by the multiple oxygen stream show excessive oxidation on the top of the ridges when preheated in a furnace. I

. J 1; y In a copending application Serial No. 176,400"*- of W. -S. Walker andW'. J.- Jacobssonthere is.

described and claimed adesurfacing nozzle hav ing a transversely 'elongatedoutlet 'oriflce'for ing shall be interpreted as t in a limiting sense.

relatively wide,

' ing' surface metal from a ninsdral anslcdo,

producing a ribbon-like stream suitable for producing relatively narrow flat-bottomed channels, but the'internal walls of the oxidizing gas passage are constructed and arranged according tended that all matter contained in the above the accompanying drawillustrative and not description or shown in I-Iaying described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. The method of thermo-chemically removing surface metal from ferrous metal bodies in relatively wide, plane, smooth cuts, which comprises applying a wide but thin ribbon-like stream of low velocity oxidizing gas at an acute dihedral angle to a region of the bodys'surface extending directly across the same when at the oxygen kindling temperature by the use of a nozzle structure that has a channel of substan: tially rectangular cross-section, compensating for the relatively low gas velocities occurring at the centerof said channel if the walls thereof are parallel by providing a gradual expansion of the oxidizing gas in said issuing velocities across the orifice of said noznel of substantially rectangular cross-section, distributing the pressure of the oxidizing gas across the inlet of said channel in a manner such that a substantially uniform static-pressure head 1 exists] compensating forthe relatively low gas velocities occurring at the center of said channel if the walls thereof are parallel by providing a gradual expansion of the oxidizing gas in said channel to an extent such that the issuing velocities across the orifice of said nozzle structure have substantially equaljvalues, and relatively moving said body and said nozzle structure at a speed such that a metal removing operation may be effected.

4. The method of thermo-chemically removing surface metal from a ferrous metal body-in a relatively wide, plane, smooth out, which comprises preheating a region substantially directly across said metal body to the oxygen kindling temperature by the application of flames of heat ing gas extending substantiallyacross said region, cooling said preheat flame applying means, applying a wide but thinribbon-like stream of low velocity oxidizing gas at anacute dihedral angle to the surface being removed by the use of a nozzle structure that has a channel of substantially rectangular cross-section to said region when sufliciently preheated, distributing the pressure of the oxidizing gas across the inlet of said channel in a manner such that a substantially uniform static pressure head exists, compensating for the relatively low gas velocities occurring at" the center of said channel if the channel whereby the zle structure have substantially equal values,

and relatively moving said metal body and said nozzle structure at a speed suchthat a metal removing operation may be effected.

2.. The method of thermo-chemically removing surface metal from ferrous metal bodies in plane, smooth cuts, which comprises applying a wide but thin ribbon-like stream of low velocity oxidizing gas at an acute dihedral angle to a region of the body's surface extending directly across the same when at the oxygen kindling temperature by the use of a nozzle structure that has a channel of substantially rectangular cross-section, the oxidizing gas across the inlet to said channel in a manner such that a substantially uniform pressure head exists, relatively low gas velocities occurring at the center of said channel if the walls thereof are parcompensating for the distributing the pressure of l allel by providing a gradual expansion of the.

oxidizin gas within thech'annel to an extent such that the issuing ,velocities across the oriflee-'01 said nozzle structure have substantially equal values, and relatively moving saidmetal body and said nozzle structure at a speed such that ametal removing operation may be eifected. 3. Themethod of thermo-chemically remov- 'the use of a nozzle structure that has a chanferrous metal body in smooth out, which comto such walls thereof'are parallel by providing a'gradual expansion of the oxidizing gas in said channel to an extent such that the issuing velocities across the orifice ofsaid nozzle structure have substantially equal values, and relatively moving said metallic body and said nozzle structure at a speed such that a metal removing operation may be effected.

5. In apparatus for thermo-chemically removing surface metal in relatively wide, plane, smooth cutsfrom ferrous metal bodies, a thermochemical desurfacing device comprising a nozzle structure for applying oxidizing gas to the surface to be removed constructed with a relatively wide but thin rectangular orifice and an internal passage of similar cross-section having a constriction adjacent the inlet and expanding slightly therefrom toward the orifice, means including a relatively large chamber associated with said inlet for supplying pxidizing gas unimpededly at all points along said inlet with a pressure head such that a ribbon-like stream having a uniform pressure at all points along said oriflce issues at a low velocity from said oriflce, and means for supporting said device in a position such that said ribbon-like stream meets the surface being removed at an acute dihedral angle.

6. In apparatus for th'ermo-chemically-removing surface, metal in relatively wide, plane, smooth cuts from'fer'rous metalbodies'a thermochemical desurfacing device comprising a noz- "zle structure for applying oxidizing gas to the surface to be removed constructed with a, rely tively wide but thin rectangular oriflce and-an internal passage of similar cross-section having a constriction adjacent the inlet and expanding slightly therefrom toward the orifice, a relativelylarge chamber communicating with said inlet and provided with oxidizinggas supplying conduits communicating with both ends whereby a a cross-section and expandingslightly toward an i p v 2,207,405 I substantially static pressure condition exists,

within said chamber supplying oxidizing gas unissue at, low velocity, and means for supp r t g said device in a position such that'fsaidfribbonan acute dihedral: angle;

ike streammeets the surface being removedl orificethat'is'relatively wide but thin, said plates 7 haviiig areas of reduced thickness adjacent said l In apparatus for thermo-ch'emically removing surface metal relatively wide, plane, smooth cuts from ferrous metal bodies. ether,-

mo-chemical desurfacing device comprising a 1102- zle structure constructed of spaced plates and inserted members closing the sides shaped to provide an internal, passage of a rectangular orifice which is relativelss wide but thin, means l for supplying oxidizing gas to said device, distributing means associated therewith for ensuring the issuance of said oxidizing gas as a ribbon-like stream from said orifice at a low velocity with substantially uniform values at all points along, the .Orifice, means supporting said device with reference to the body being desurfaced so that said ribbon-like stream meets said body at an acute dihedral angle, separable presmooth cuts from ferrous metal bodies, a thermorectangular orifice, means for supplying oxidiz ing gas to said device, distributing m'eans associated therewith for ensuring the issuance of'said oxidizing gas as a ribbon-like 'streamfrom said orifice at a low velocity with substantially uniform values at all points along the orifice, means supporting said device with reference to the body being desurfaced so that said ribbon-like stream meets said body at an acute dihedral angle.

separable" preheating means on said reduced areas, each comprising an orificed member, an adjoining cooling chamber and a closing block for said cooling chamber. one of said orificed members having a plurality of substantially equally spaced cylindrical bores disposed to project heating gas flames downwardly toward the stream of gas issuing from said rectangular orifice, the other of said orificed members having a plurality of slotted orifices disposed in line and adapted to project heating flames substan-,

- tially parallel to' the stream issuing from 'said rectangular orifice, means for supplying a heating gas mixture to said orificed members through said closing blocks, means for circulating a cooling medium in said cooling chambers through said closing blocks, and means including a clamp ing member for securing saidpreheating means to said nozzle structure on said reduced areas and provided with a portion adapted :to ride on the surfaceof the bodybeing operated upon;

10. In apparatus for thermo-chemically removing surface metal in relatively wide, plane, smooth cuts from ferrous metal bodies, the combination with means for supporting a body in a,

chemical desurfacing device comprising a nozzle structure constructed of spaced plates and insex-ted members closing the sides shapedto provide an internal passage of a rectangular crosssection and expanding slightly toward an orifice which is relatively wide but thin, said plates-havjing areas-Jot reduced thickness'adjacent' said rectangular orifice, means for supplying oxidiz-f 'ing" gas to said device, distributing ineans associated therewith for ensuring the issuance of said oxidizing gas as a ribbon-like stream from said orifice at a low velocity with substantially a uniform values. at all points along the orifice. means supporting said device withjreference to the body being d'esurfaced so that said ribbonlike stream meets said body-atranacute dihedral angle, separate preheating means disposed on said reduced areas on each side of said rectangu lar orifice, said preheating means on eachside each consisting of an orificed member adapted vto project heating flames. acooling chamber ad- I jaoent said orificed memberand-aclosing block for said cooling'chamber, means for supplying a heating gas through each or said closing blocks to said orificed members, means for'supplying a cooling. medium to each of said cooling chambers through said closing blocks, and clamping means for, securing saidpreheating means to said nozzle structure on said reduced areas. 9. In apparatus for theme-chemically remov'-- ing surface metal in relatively wide, plane,

smooth cuts, from ferrous metal bodies, a ther'mo-chemicai desurfacing. device comprising a nozzle structure constructed of spaced plates and inserted members closing thesides shaped to provide an internal passage of a-regtan'guiar cross-section and-expanding slightly toward an position to be operated'upon, of thermo-chemical desu'rfacing means comprising an oxidizing gas applying nozzle structure constructed with a relatively wide but transversely narrow orifice disposed to have its width dimension lying substantially parallel to the surface beingremoved, chambered distributing means associated with said nozzlestructure for supplying thereto, under substantially static pressure conditions, a relatively large volume of oxidizing gas which issues in a ribbon-like stream at a relatively low velocity and at. substantially uniform pressure,

along the orifice, means for supporting said desurfacing means in a position suc oxidizing gas is'obliquely impinged upon the sur-' face to be removed, and means for effecting relative motion between a body to be operated upon and said desurfacing means. i

v 11. In apparatus for thermochemically removing surface metal in'relatively wide, plane,

smooth cuts from ferrous metal bodies, the combination with means for supporting a body in a position who operated .upo'n,of theme-chemical desurfacing means comprisingan oxidizing gassapplying nozzle structure constructed with arelatively wide but transversely narrow orifice disposed to have its widthdimension lying substantially parallel to the surface being removed,

an internal rectangular channel communicating with said orifice and shaped to have a taper increasing in cross-sectional area with the approach of the orifice in an amount sui'iicient to,

avoid turbulence, distributing means associated with said nomle structure and in communication with said channel including. a relatively large chamber in free communication with said channel whereby there is supplied under substan-' tially static pressure conditions a relatively large a volume of oxidizing gas which issues as an un-.

that the interrupted ribbon-like stream from the orifice at a low velocity, means for supporting said desurfacing means in a position such that the oxidizing gas is obliquely impinged upon the surface to be removed at, an acute angle of from to 45 degrees to a tangent to the surfacedrawn in the direction in which a cut is to be made, and means for effecting relative motion between a body to be operated upon and said desurfacing means.

12. In apparatus for thermo-chemically removing'surface metal in relatively wide, plane, smooth cuts from ferrous metal bodies, the combination with means for supporting a body in a position to be operated upon, of thermo-chemical desurfacing means comprising an oxidizing gas applying nozzle structure and associated preheating means, said nozzle structure constructedv ence with said oxidizing gas stream, means for supporting said desur'facing means in a position such that said ribbon-like streamsof oxidizing gas is obliquely impinged upon the surface to be removed, and means for effecting relative motion between a body to be operated upon and said desurfacing means.

13. In apparatus for thermo-chemically removing surface metal in relatively wide, plane, smooth cuts from ferrous metal bodies, the combination with means "for supporting a body in a position to be operated upon, of thermo-chemical desurfacing' means comprising an oxidizing gas means, said nozzle means being shaped to project oxidizing gas so as to impinge at relatively low velocity upon the surface to be removed in a substantially uninterrupted line of reaction extending transversely across a substantial portion of the-width of said surface and having substantially equal mass-velocities at all points along said line of reaction, oxidizinggas supplying and distributing means communicating with said nozzlemeans proportioned to maintain said equal mass-velocities, means for supplying a heating gas mixture to said preheating-means,

supporting means associated with said desurfacing means for holding the same in. aposition such that the gas issuing from said nozzle impinges obliquely upon the surface being removed, and means for effecting. relative movement between said nozzle means and the body being op erated upon whereby a'wide plane cut is made along said body.

14. in apparatus for thermo-chemically removing surface -metal in relatively wide, plane, smooth cuts from ferrous metal bodies, the combination'with means for supporting a body in a 1 position to be operated upon, of thermo-chemical desurfacing means comprising an oxidizing said-preheating means consisting of an orificed member associated with said nozzle structure and arranged to project a preheating jet adjacent-to but without interference with said oxidizing gas stream, distributing means associated with said nozzle structure for supplying thereto under substantially static pressure conditions a relatively large volume'of oxidizing gas which issues in 'a ribbon-like stream at a low velocity, means for supporting said desurfacing means in a position such that the oxidizing gas is obliquely impinged upon the surface to be re-r moved, and means for effecting relativ motion ,between a body to be operated upon and said desurfacing means.

15. In apparatus for thermo-chemically removing surface metal in relatively wide, plane,

' smooth cuts from ferrous metal .bodies, the comgas applying nozzle structure and applying nozzle means and associated preheating bination with means for supporting a body in a position to be operated upon, of thermo-chemical desurfacing means comprising an oxidizing associated preheating means, said nozzle structure having a relatively wide but transversely narrow orifice disposed to have its width dimension lying substantially parallel to the surface being removed, said preheating means consisting of oriflced members associated with said nozzle structure and arranged to project preheating flames at both sides of said oxidizing gas stream without interfering with the flow of the same, distributing means associated with said nozzle structure including a relatively large chamber for supplying thereto under substantially static pressure conditions. a relatively large volume of oxidizing gas which issues in a ribbon-like stream at a low velocity. means for supporting said combined nozzle structure and preheating means in a position such that the oxidizing gas is obliquely impinged upon the surface to be removed at an acute angle of from 20 to 45 degrees to' the tangent drawn in the direction in which a cut is to be made, am means for effecting relative motion between a body to'be operated upon and said combined nozzle structure andpreheating means.

16. As an article of manufacture, a body of ferrous metal which has been desurfaced by a thermo-chemical reaction with a ribbon-like stream of oxidizing gas impinged substantially directly across the surface, said body being characterized by the formation of a new uniform surface envelope having a smooth surface and a crystalline structure retaining gree of ductility results said surface being sub stantially devoid of seams, channels, flnsand ridges. 3

1'7. As an article of manufacture, a body of ferrous metal which has been desurfaced by a.

.thermo-chemical reaction with a ribbon-like stream of oxidizing gas impinged substantially directly across the surface, said body being charas applying nozzle structure and associated preheating means, said nozzle structure having a relatively wide'but transversely narrow orifice disposed to have its width dimension lying substantially parallel to the surfacebeing removed,

acterized by an interior portion having a rolled interiorstructure and a new surface envelope of relativelysmalluniform thickness having a crystalline structure differing from said interior structure as a result of having been rapidly heated to surface fusiorf temperature and'cooled so that the envelope is harder than said interior wh le retaining a high degree ofductility and is possessed of a relatively smooth uniform surface. 18. A method of ,thermo-chemically removing" a wide and shallow layer of metal, of subetantially thesame depth at all points of its width,

substantial K amounts of ferrite'whereby a relatively high defrom an elongated surface of a steel billet or the oxidizing gas obliquely against said surface and ina plane extending transversely of the length a of said surface while the area-against which said stream impinges is at an oxygen kindling temperature; maintaining substantially uniform the velocity and density of such impinging stream at all points of its width, to produce a wide zone of superficial metal combustion of substantially uniform intensity at; all points of stream impingement transversely of the length ofsaid surface; and effecting relative movement of said billet and said stream in a direction longitudinally ofsaid surface and at a rate suflicient to uniformly advance such wide and uniform metal combustion along said surface and progressively remove a wide and shallow layer of metal of uniform depth therefrom and leave a wide, smooth and plane new surface substantially'free from both superficial defects and longitudinal ridges or fins.

19. A themo-chemically surfaced elongated steel billet or the like having a relatively plane and smooth lateral surface substantially free from both superficial defects and longitudinal ridges or fins, such surfacebeing produced by removing a relatively wide and thin layer of metal from the initial lateral surface of said billet by the progressive application of a wide and thin ribbon-like stream of oxidizing gas against such initial surface while successive areas of impingement of said stream areat an oxygen kindling temperature.

20. The method of producing a plane smooth surface on a metal body by a progressive thermochemical reaction along'an exposed surface of such metal body which comprises providing a supply of gas adapted to react with a layer of said exposed surface when at ignition temperature; accumulaing locally a body of said gas tohave a substantially uniformpressure head for a predetermined distance along onev side of said body of gas; constraining the flow of said gas from said side of said body of gas under the action of said pressure head so as to'form a wide thin ribbon-like stream of gas having a uniform thickness throughout said predetermined distance; conducting said ribbon-like stream to a discharge orifice: and effecting a .gradualexpan sion of said ribbon-like stream i'nboth its width and thickness dimensions prior to issue from said discharge orifice, the rate of such width expansion being suflicient to compensate for relatively higher velocities normally associated with thesides of the stream and the rate of such'thickness expansion being sufilcient'to provide a compensating acceleration of the central portions of the ribbon-like stream, whereby said stream issues with a uniformly distributed velocity and density throughout its width.

,HOMER'W. JONES. HERBERT -W. COWIN. A WILGOT J; JACOBSSON. 

